


On, Wisconsin!

by beefybuffybucky



Series: On, Wisconsin! [1]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Avengers Feels, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Cabin, Developing Relationship, F/M, Female Characters, Multi, POV Female Character, Post-Avengers (2012), Protective Bucky Barnes, Relationship(s), Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Travel, Wisconsin - Freeform, up north
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 10:07:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14041911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beefybuffybucky/pseuds/beefybuffybucky
Summary: It’s been a few months since you’ve joined the Avengers. After a successful mission in Wisconsin, you plan a short trip to the northern part of the state and bring Bucky and Steve with you. Ever since you’ve joined the team, you and Bucky had gradually become friends, but something in you aches to be more. He doesn’t know anything about your past, and you’d rather keep it that way. But how long can you actually keep your secrets from him? (Warnings: Some Angst, Language, Fluffy)





	1. On, Wisconsin! (Pt. 1)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work from my Tumblr blog (@beefybuffybucky). Feel free to check it out!

The buildings lining the road look old and slightly worn. They weren’t insanely old, but not necessarily brand new. A lot of the exteriors had old, rotting wood. A majority of the main street is composed of taverns and mom-and-pop restaurants. Within two minutes, you’ve already driven out of the town.

Thick, luscious trees crowd both sides of the bumpy highway as far as the eye could see. You check your phone to see if anyone from the team had tried to reach you, only to find that you’ve completely lost signal. A smile plays at your lips.  _Now we’re officially up north._

Bucky groans in the front seat.

“What’s wrong?” Steve asks as he stares at the road, one hand on the wheel and one hanging out the window.

“No signal,” Bucky mutters. “Looks like we’re officially in the middle of nowhere.”

“Oh, you  _poor_  city boy,” you chuckle. Bucky turns around in his seat and glares at you from behind his headrest. You grin and playfully stick out your tongue at him. He huffs and turns back around, slumping down into his seat and throwing his feet onto the dash.

“Woah,” Steve quietly gasps. You look out the window across from you and take in the gorgeous view of Lake Superior. Waves hungrily lap at the shoreline, and you spot people lounging on a long strip of beach, soaking up the sun and splashing in the water.

“Welcome to the north, boys,” you proclaim leaning forward between the two front seats of the car as a wild grin spreads across your face.

“ _Turn right_ ,” the GPS voice commands. Steve takes the turn and the view of the lake disappears behind you.

“How much longer?” Bucky groans. “I’m  _starving_.”

“We just ate like two hours ago, how are you  _starving_?” You mock him, leaning up close to his ear.

He turns his head, peering at you from the corner of his eye. “For your information, I’m a  _growing_  boy.”

“You’re kidding, right?” You snort.

“Alright you two, calm down,” Steve’s using his “mom” voice. It’s the type of tone that parents use when their kids are misbehaving and threaten to turn the car around. “We’ll be there in an hour, Buck.”

Bucky unleashes a loud, childish groan as he slumps further down his seat. “A whole  _hour_?” He grumbles.

“How old are you?  _Five?_  If you’re gonna be a crabass, then take a nap,” you tell him over the wind rushing in through the open windows.

A little less than an hour later, you’re cruising down an empty, winding road through the hills and forests. You haven’t seen a building in over forty-five minutes, but the GPS says there are only ten more minutes until you reach the cabin. Steve takes another turn.

The car slows and you peer over Bucky’s seat and see a large cluster of construction machinery shrouded in clouds of dust. A flagger turns the sign he’s holding to “STOP”, and Steve slows the car to a halt. You hear Bucky dramatically sigh, and you roll your eyes.  _Can he be any more of a child?_

After a few moments, the flagger flips the sign back to “SLOW” and waves Steve through. The wind carries some dust into the car, making you cough.  _Naturally, road work in Wisconsin. Who would’ve guessed._

The rest of the way was clear, and about ten minutes later, Steve makes the last turn onto the road leading to the cabin. The road isn’t even a  _road_ , really - just a bunch of red dirt fashioned  _into_  a road.

“Why is it so red?” Steve ponders.

“‘Cause of the iron. There’s more of it in the earth up here,” you inform him as you text Nat and tell her that you’ve made it safely, hoping that the one bar of reception would be enough to send the message. Steve slows the car as he searches for the cabin’s number. From what you’ve seen so far, your cabin was probably the only one down this road.

“Ah  _ha_ ,” Steve playfully cheers. He pulls the car into a long dirt driveway and your cabin comes into view. It looks like a normal house but has a large sun room and steps leading down to a dock that reaches into a gorgeous lake. Trees are everywhere, and when you look out at the lake, you can’t even see other docks.

“ _You’ve arrived at your destination_ ,” the GPS voice chimes.

At lightning speed, you unbuckle and throw open your car door, taking a deep breath of the fresh, clean forest air. Reaching to the treetops, you push yourself onto your toes in a glorious, refreshing stretch. Your muscles thank you as the ache of your cramped limbs washes away.

Bucky opens his door, but stumbles, landing on his face.

“What the  _fuuuuck_ ,” he growls. Rolling onto his back, he vigorously shakes his leg free from the straps of his duffel bag that had been tucked by his feet.

“You okay there, Buck?” You snort, crossing your arms across your chest and shifting your weight to one foot.

Bucky dramatically flops his arms out. “Shut up,” he mumbles. You shrug your shoulders and head to the back of the car, opening the trunk and pulling out your bags. Steve rounds the car and grabs his bags. As he turns to leave, he pauses. “Wait…where did Bucky go?” His brows knit together in confusion.

“Probably still on the ground,” you sigh and turn away, heading for the cabin. When you reserved the cabin for the week, the owner had told you that you could find the key in a baggie under a red rock by the door. You drop one of your bags and pick up a large red rock by your foot. Sure enough, there was a baggie with the key. Shoving the key into the lock, it silently  _clicks_  open, and you push on the door.

The door swings open to reveal a gorgeous sun room with a futon and a few chairs. Taking the few steps that lead to the main level, you open another door and toss your bag next to a shoe rack. A living room with two couches, a plasma T.V., and a chair was to your left while a kitchen with a small island and the bathroom was to your right. Ahead of you was a king sized bed that was separated from the rest of the room with a curtain.

Steve and Bucky walk up the steps and drop their bags next to yours.

“I call the big bed!” You take a running start and flop onto the bed, sinking into the cool mattress.

“Alright, then you get to bunk with Buck,” Steve shrugs and picks up his bag, tossing it onto the futon in the sunroom. “I’ll sleep out here.”

“ _What_ ,” you and Bucky groan simultaneously.

“Fine, then  _you_  share the big bed with Buck, I’ll take the futon,” you bargain as you hop off the bed and walk towards the sunroom. Steve sticks out his arm, nearly clotheslining you.

“Not so fast, kid. No way are Buck and I sharin’ that bed, there’s not enough room for the both of us. But there is enough room for you and Bucky,” Steve’s eyes light up as he basks in silent humor.

“But  _Steeeve_ , can’t I just share the bed with you? Or, can’t he take the couch?” You whine.

“Woah, woah, woah…why would  _I_  have to take the couch? Why can’t  _you_?” Bucky shoves a finger in your direction.

“ _Me?_  I’m the one who set up this whole trip, I deserve the big bed!” You stomp towards Bucky, standing a few inches from him. He has at least a good eight inches on you, and you have to tilt your head up to look at him. “ _You_  get the couch,” you shove a finger against his chest.

“Thaaat’s enough, you two,” Steve gently pulls you back by your hood. “Either you share the bed, or one of you sleeps on the couch.”

You look at the two couches. Both of them seem decent, but they also look older than you, and you question their cleanliness and level of comfort.

“ _Fine_ ,” you roll your eyes. “We’ll share the bed,” you grumble at Steve. A smile appears on his face.

“See? Was it really that hard? Now, after we unpack the rest of the car, I’ll run into town and get some food,” Steve ducks out of the room.

“If you steal the blankets while we’re sleeping,” you threaten as you turn towards Bucky. “I’ll kill you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Bucky smirks slyly.

* * *

Once Steve left and everything was unpacked, you grabbed a fishing pole and headed down towards the dock. A warm breeze delicately dances through your hair. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and the lake was so clear, you could see the red sanded-bottom as you stand at the end of the wooden dock. A content sigh escapes your lips. You slide off your sandals and take a seat at the edge of the dock, dipping your feet into the clear, cool water. Huge, lush trees crowd the shore line of the lake, and you can hear their branches dancing in the summer breeze.

You bait your hook and cast the line into the lake. the bobber lands with a soft  _bloop,_ sending baby ripples through the water. Just as you settle against a post, the boards beneath you shake and the sound of heavy footsteps and whistling rips through the serene air. You heave a sigh, this time in annoyance, as the whistling grows louder then comes to a sudden stop and you feel a presence towering next to you.

“Watchya doin’, doll?” Bucky’s voice booms across the open lake.

“What does it look like, Buck?” You push your sunglasses up your nose. The edge of the dock stabs into the bottom of your thighs, causing you to shift in discomfort.

“Have you caught anything yet?” He lowers himself onto the edge next to you.

“Nope,” you sigh. A few seconds later, something bites down on your hook, violently pulling the bobber underwater. “ _Shit_ ,” your breath hisses. You quickly rise to your feet and yank on the line, then start reeling in. The top of your pole bends, threatening to break, as whatever that’s on the end of the line zigzags through the water. “I think I-” your line  _snaps!,_  sending you stumbling backward. Before you could fall into the lake, Bucky grabs your arm, pulling you into his body. You blink and look up at him. “Uh…t-thanks, Buck,” your voice falters as a small wave of heat threatens to creep into your cheeks.

“No problem, doll,” Bucky smirks. You pull away from his hold on you and grab the fishing line dangling from the top of your pole. Whatever snapped the line got away with your hook and weight, sparring the bobber.

“That’s just  _great_ ,” you groan. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.” You rummage through the tackle box in search for a new hook and weights to out on the line, but come up empty. “I’ll have to text Steve and tell him to get more.”

“In the meantime, why don’t we go out on that boat?” Bucky throws his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of a small paddle boat tied to the dock.

You had two options: wait for Steve to come back, which at the rate he shops and how far he had to travel means he probably won’t be back for another two hours.  _Or_ , you could blow some time out on the water.

Deciding that doing something is better than sitting around and doing nothing, you agree. You head back to the cabin and grab your swim suit. It’s a black one piece, and in your opinion, sexy as hell. It makes your butt and boobs look fantastic.

Grabbing a towel and your sunglasses, you head back down to the dock and find Bucky waiting for you with the rope that secured the boat in his hand. He’d changed into swim shorts and a white t-shirt, and a pair of sunglasses rested on the top of his head.

“Well don’t you look amazing,” Bucky hums. A stupid grin is plastered on his face.

“Thanks, I try,” you mutter sarcastically. Using a pole on the dock to steady yourself, you climb into the boat. The edge dips closer to the water under your weight and you settle on the farthest seat, placing your towel under you. Bucky tosses the rope onto the front of the boat and lowers himself into the boat. He weighs far more than you (“It’s all muscle”, as he would say), and it feels as if the boat will capsize at any second. You begin to second guess your choice.

“Alright, doll. Onward,” he cheerfully sighs as he begins to peddle. The boat slowly chugs along, and you and Bucky decided to anchor close to the middle of the lake. You aren’t even sure if the anchor lands on the bottom, but the boat doesn’t float away, so you decide it’s good enough. You stand on your seat and swing your leg over to the back end of the boat where there’s a small ladder attached to the end and enough space for at least two other people to sit or lie down in. Even with your sunglasses, the sun burns your eyes, and you shield them, looking at the dock which is now far away.

“Ya know what? This is pretty -  _FUCK!_ ” Your scream cuts across the calm surface of the water as Bucky pushes you over the boat. You swim up, breaking the surface of the water a few feet away from the boat. “I’m going to  _kill you_ ,” you hiss at Bucky. He’s crouching at the end of the boat, laughing so hard you thought he would pass out.  _What an asshat_. He stands and easily pulls his shirt over his head. The muscles in his arm and shoulder flex as he crumbles his shirt into a ball and tosses it to the front of the boat. His metal arm shines in the hot sun, and he uses it to pull his other arm across his chest in a stretch.

“Ready or not, doll,” he backs up until his heels are against the two back seats. “Here I come!” He smirks and takes two powerful steps that rock the boat, then uses the edge to propel himself into the water.

“ _BUCKY NO_ ,” you yell. He drops into the water right next to you, sending a wave of water into your face. You spit out lake water and wipe at your eyes as Bucky breaks the surface of the water.

“Sorry ‘bout that, doll,” he slicks back his hair.

“Yeah,  _sure_ ,” you playfully splash water into his face. He blinks the water out of his eyes and you start swimming back towards the boat. You put your foot on the first rung of the ladder and start hauling your soaked body out of the water when a pair of hands tightly grab your waist. Before you could react, you’re torn from the ladder and sent into the air. You land with another splash. When you swim up, you choke on some water and swipe at your eyes. Bucky’s wearing a shit-eating grin and stifling his laugh behind a closed fist.

“Alright, Barnes,” you huff. “You asked for it.”

For the next two hours, you and Bucky take turns catching the other off guard and throwing them into the lake, playing an intense game of Marco Polo, and basking in the sun on the end of the boat. Bucky’s stomach rumbles, and he sits up.

“Did we bring any food?” He clutches his stomach. “I think I’m gonna starve to death,” he whines.

“No, but we should probably head back anyway. Steve might think we were killed or somethin’ if we’re gone when he gets back,” you sigh, sitting up. Grabbing the towels from your seat, you toss one at Bucky and start to dry your hair. You watch as Bucky rises and begins to dry out his own hair, the muscles in his back shifting and rippling as his muscular arms raise to scrunch the water out of his hair. 

_Dammit, Y/N. Don’t let yourself do this._


	2. On, Wisconsin! (Pt. 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a day out on the water with Bucky during your trip Up North, you spend the rest of the evening talking around a fire, trying to not spill your secrets, and avoiding a potential disaster. But it isn’t until later in the night that the real problem arises. (Warnings: angst - nightmares - panic attack - Bucky being an amazing person)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out some of my other works on my Tumblr blog (@beefybuffybucky)!

You crawl out of the boat and Bucky follows, tying the rope through a metal loop on the side of the dock. Steve pulls up and parks the car just as you and Bucky finish your trek up the stairs. Steve rounds the car, and stops, sliding his sunglasses to the top of his hand and resting his hands on his hips.

“Looks like you two had some fun without me,” Steve chimes with a playful smirk on his face.

“Sorry, Stevie,” Bucky chuckles. “Just couldn’t wait to take the paddle boat out for a spin. It was a wild time.” He nudges your arm. “Right, Y/N?”

“Yeah,” you nod. “Steve,” you shift your attention to him, trying to ignore the electric heat from where Bucky had nudged you. “Do you need help carrying the bags?”

“Sure, that’d be great,” he beams and walks to the rear of the car.

* * *

After the food was sorted and put away, you throw two pizzas into the oven for dinner. Together, Bucky and Steve consume nearly both pizzas, managing to leave you a few slices. Once dinner was cleaned up, you all headed outside to the fire pit. The pit is a wall of stones arranged in a circle around a hole in the ground. It’s enclosed by 4 chairs, and a pile of wood sits a few feet away on an old rack.

Bucky gets the fire going, and Steve walks out from the side door of the cabin with three cold beers, the supplies needed for s’mores, your hoodie, and some blankets. He tosses you a beer, the hoodie, and a blanket. You thank him with a quick, flashy smile. As soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, the temperature had dropped quickly, rendering your shorts and t-shirt useless in keeping you warm. Bucky wraps a blanket around his shoulders and takes a seat next to you, sinking into the chair. He cracks open his beer and takes a swig, Steve doing the same. You laugh, mostly to yourself.

Bucky cocks an eyebrow. “What’s so funny, doll?”

You crack open your beer and watch some wisps of compressed air float out into the clear night. “I just think it’s kinda funny that you two can’t get really even get drunk, yet you still drink this stuff.” You raise your can into the air and slightly shake it, its contents sloshing inside.

Bucky and Steve share a quick glance. Steve turns back to you.

“We like the taste,” he shrugs, his bottom lip twitches as he tries to hold back a smile. Bucky nods with a goofy grin, taking another swig.

Three s’mores, two cans of beer, and a heated debate as to why burnt marshmallows are better than golden ones later, Steve hauls himself out of his chair, stretches towards the starry sky, and waves a sleepy “ _good night_ ” to you and Bucky.

Now it’s just Bucky and the chorus of crickets to keep you company. Nothing is said between you two for a few long moments.

“Today was…fun,” he says hesitantly, slowly nodding his head as he shoots a smile in your direction.

“Yeah, it was,” you return the smile. The can of beer in your hand was now lukewarm. It was your third can, and you were starting to feel a slight buzz tingle in your head.

Bucky clears his throat. “So…what’s your story?”

“What do you mean?” You shoot him a questioning look. You very well knew what he meant, but you never really had anyone so blatantly ask about your past before. You had thought everyone on the team had already read your files. It’s not like you wanted everyone to know every single thing about you, but you couldn’t exactly stop them.

They had acquired your information from an abandoned HYDRA base a few months before the Avengers got a hit on your location. Before that, you had managed to escape from the clutches of HYDRA and stay on the down low, and look how far that got you. You’re happier than you’ve been in years with the team, but you still can never escape your past, no matter how hard you try.

“Didn’t you read my files when they first brought me in?”

Bucky brings another beer to his lips - it’s his sixth one, and he still doesn’t show signs of intoxication. He shakes his head. “Never had the chance.”

“Well,” you sigh, fiddling with the can between your clammy hands. “What do you wanna know?”

“What do you want to tell me?” His eyes reflect the flickering light from the fire.

Rustling in the trees caught both of your attentions. Black bears were known to be around these parts, but you really hoped that whatever was in the woods was not a bear.  _Please, **please**  don’t be a -_

A small black bear cub waddles out of the trees and into the clearing right beside the cabin.

“Bucky,” you say slowly in a low, flat voice. “Don’t.  _Move_.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” he mumbles back. Your heart begins to beat faster.

“Listen to what I say, and don’t fuck up,” you tell him, not letting your gaze falter from the curious cub. “I want you to stand,  _slowly_ , when I tell you to, got it?”

“Got it.”

“Okay, ready?” You slowly move your arms to the sides of your chair. “ _Go_.” You take your time and slowly push up from your seat, and see Bucky do the same out of the corner of your eye. The cub had wandered a few feet closer, his snout in the air as he sniffs the different scents around him.

“ _Now what?_ ” Bucky hisses through his teeth.

“We’re going to slowly walk back to the side door of the cabin,” you nod to your right. The side door was about fifteen feet away, the only problem was that the cub stood only a few feet away from it. But the only other door was on the front of the house, and you couldn’t be sure there were more bears. “ _Don’t_  take your eyes off the cub.”

“Do we  _have_  to go through the side door? I mean, can’t we just run to the other -”

More rustling breaks into the silence.  _Oh, shit, please no._

“Bucky, we have to go.  _Now_ ,” you warn. You start to side-step around the fire, your heart racing in your chest. The cub doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to you, until you hear a twig snap behind you. You stop moving as the cub snaps his head towards you and Bucky.

“ _Bucky_ ,” you hiss. “ _Did you just_  -”

A larger bear pokes out from the forest, its black, beady eyes landing on you.

You look at the distance between you and the door, and impulsively decide that at this point, you might just have to run it.

“Buck, when I say ‘go’,” you breathe. “ _Run._ ”

The cub turns its head towards the larger bear and takes a few steps in the opposite direction of where you and Bucky are hovering.

“ _Go!_ ”

It only takes a few seconds for you and Bucky to bolt through the door. He slams it behind it, you, both of you breathing heavily as you try to lower your heart rate.

“Well,” he pants. “That was horrifying.”

“No shit,” you mumble. “Well, if you need me, I’ll be in the shower.”

“Hey,” Bucky gently grabs your wrist as you turn to walk away. “Are we, uh…going to pick up from where we left off in that conversation?”

“I…I’m not sure, Buck. Maybe. You could’ve just read my files.” He lets go of your wrist.

“I didn’t want to read your files,” his voice is so quiet, you can barely hear him. “I wasn’t interested in reading what  _they_  had to say about you, I wanted to hear what  _you_  have to say. I didn’t need some files to tell me what I should know about you, i-it just didn’t seem  _fair_. Because trust me,” he takes a step closer. “I know what it feels like having your whole life and dirty secrets spread across a table, and I know it’s not exactly fun.”

“B-Bucky, I…,” you’re at a complete loss for words.  _How could he care so much about me before even meeting me?_  “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me, doll.”

You nod, then walk through the living room and grab your bag to head to the bathroom. After a nice, hot shower, you change into shorts and a t-shirt, then pad back out to your bed. The curtains were pulled, and you assumed Bucky was already in bed. You pull back the cloth and see Bucky standing in nothing but his boxers, holding a shirt in his hands, next to the bed.

“Ya know, a picture would last  _much_  longer, darlin’,” He smirks.

You roll your eyes and ignore the flicker of warmth in your stomach. Throwing back the heavy quilt, you climb into the bed, pulling the covers up to your chin. You feel the bed dip under Bucky’s added weight. His body heat quickly spreads under the blankets, sending a calming sensation flooding down you.

“G’night, doll,” he mumbles into his pillow.

“Night, Buck,” you whisper. Just as you begin to drift off into a deep, much-needed sleep, the blankets are ripped from your hands, exposing you to the chilly night air hanging around you.

“Are you  _ **shitting**_  me,” you groaned groggily. “I’m going to  _kill_  you, Bucky.”

A light chuckle rumbles from his chest.

“Do your worst.”

* * *

_You were running through a forest. The sounds of fighting and gunshots erupting behind you getting closer by the second. Your lungs burned like they never have before as you push yourself to pump your arms harder, trying to gain more speed to carry yourself away from the fighting. Snow covers the ground, making it hard to see the large roots of trees. The path looks clear, but out of nowhere, a new root tears up out of the ground. You don’t have even time to react, and your boot catches on the root, sending you tumbling. Fresh bruises from the frozen ground, rocks, and roots puncturing your skin begin to blossom on your arms, ribs, and legs. The pain pulses through your right side, and as you roll over onto your back, a heavy boot comes stomping down onto your chest, pinning you in place. You squint your eyes at them, the sunlight blinding you through the naked trees._

_The end of a handgun is aimed at the area right between your eyes. The person holding you down wears a mask and brings a gloved hand up to their face. Pressing a button on the side of their face, the mask falls to the ground. You can feel your eyes widen as fear ransacks your body._

_Your own eyes stare back at you. The person keeping you captive at gunpoint is you. A wicked, evil grin spreads up your face, but it’s not your face, it’s the face of the old you. The **you**  that destroyed families, took lives, and did anything you had to just to complete a mission…The you that you were trying to leave behind in the dust._

_“Can’t take what you dish out, Y/N?” The boot presses down into your chest harder, their finger moving to the trigger._

_“ **NO!** ”_

_A shot rings out._

* * *

You jolt straight up, gasping for air, your chest tight in pure horror, and vision blind with fear.

“ _Y/N?_ ” A dull, distant voice reaches your ears. “ _Y/N, are you okay? Can you hear me?_ ”

Blinking back tears, you can feel your hands shaking, clutching the fabric of your shirt. The details of your surroundings start to come into focus. As your mind calms down, you begin to see the outlines of a room. 

“ _C’mon, doll_ ,” the voice floats by again, but louder this time. “ _Come back to us. Can you tell me five things you can see?_ ”

“A w-wall,” your voice doesn’t even sound like yours. It’s as if it’s become detached from your body. “A door, t-the table, w-with chairs, a-and a man.”

“ _Good job, darlin’. Now how about four things you can touch?_ ”

“M-my shirt, the b-blanket,” you somehow pry your hand from your chest, placing it beside you, searching for anything you could feel. “S-something cold, a-and metal, and m-my skin.” More of your vision clears, and the faint sound of something buzzing far away carries into your surroundings.

“ _You’re doing great, Y/N. I need you to tell me three things you can hear. Do you think you can do that for me?_ ”

You nod, closing your eyes tight, bringing your head to your chest to try and stop your body from shaking so much.

“Y-Your voice, a buzzing, a-and…crickets.” You can feel your heart rate slow to a less frantic level.

“ _You’re almost there, love. How about two things you can smell?_ ” The voice sounds more familiar, almost like… _Bucky’s_.

“I-I smell something heavy, l-like the earth, and something else that smells like…home.”

“ _I just need one more thing from you. Can you tell me one thing you taste?_ ”

You open your eyes, gaze cast downwards. Bucky’s metal hand is covering yours. Slowly lifting your head, you meet the gaze of a nervous-and-worried-faced Steve standing at the end of the bed, arms crossed, one hand brought to his mouth. The room is dimly lit by a lamp near the table across the room, a fan blowing air around the room in slow, rhythmic turns next to it. Turning your head, you see Bucky’s face. He’s so close to you, but his stare is intense, tainted with worry, and something lighter.  _Was it…hope?_

“Tears,” your voice faint. “I…I taste tears.”

A small smile tugs at Bucky’s lips. “Welcome back, doll.”


	3. On, Wisconsin! (Pt. 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you spend more and more time with Bucky and Steve, it becomes harder for you to keep your secrets to yourself, especially as your trust in Bucky grows. (Warnings: Mentions of a nightmare/anxiety, Fluff, Language)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out some of my other works on my Tumblr blog (@beefybuffybucky)!

Sleep was essentially impossible after the nightmare, like usual. You had woken up screaming around 4:30 a.m. and Bucky stayed up with you for the rest of the night after he reassured Steve about a hundred times that he’ll be able to take care of you.

You and Bucky sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard, talking about nothing for a good hour. The only interaction between you two was Bucky rubbing slow, gentle circles on the top of your hand while unspoken words hung in the air. Crickets chirp a quiet symphony just outside the window above the bed.

“How you doin’, doll?” His voice was as light and gentle as the touch of a feather.

You shrug in response.  

He exhales a long, deep sigh, then puts your hand down, moving to slide off the bed.

“I’m gonna go make some coffee,” Bucky stretches, his shirt lifting up to reveal just how low his flannel pants were hanging on his body. “You want some?”

“Yeah, that’d be great,” you muster up the best smile you could manage. Bucky nods and pushes the curtains back to reveal the rest of the room, then turns out of view into the kitchen. A few minutes later, the smell of coffee drifts into the air. Steve walks up the steps and stands in the doorway of the sunroom, stretching his body upwards, his hands brushing the top of the frame. Bucky walks back in with two white mugs of steaming coffee.

“G’mornin’, Stevie,” Bucky beams at him, handing him one of the mugs.

“Thanks, Buck,” Steve yawns, smiling tiredly, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his free hand. Bucky turns around, handing the other mug to you.

“Thanks,” you mutter. Bucky hums in response, taking a seat on the end of the bed near your feet. It almost seems instinctive and natural when Bucky lays a hand over the top of your foot, rubbing more soft circles over the blanket.

“So,” Steve pulls out a chair from the table. He sits down and uses the empty seat next to him as a footrest. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

Bucky turns his head from Steve to you, raising an eyebrow as he asks a silent question.

“Um…,” you blink. “I was thinking that we could check out Copper Falls. I’ve been there before, the hiking trails are really cool, and I think the weather should be perfect for some hiking today.”

“Sounds great to me,” Bucky smiles. Steve shoots a thumbs-up as he downs more coffee.

* * *

The hiking trails were absolutely beautiful. The weather was perfect, the views were breathtaking, and the hours flew by all too quickly. The waterfalls were serene and calming, diminishing the haunting remnants of the nightmare that was tainting your conscience. The boys especially loved the trip. They would have races up and down the trails, which were (thankfully) nearly empty, but they spent most of their time wading through the shallower water and stacking rock towers near the second bridge on the trail.

At one point Bucky asked you to take his picture as he posed on the top of a huge rock. Before you snapped the shot, you saw Steve’s head pop up from behind the rock, holding a single finger up to his mouth to tell you not to say anything.

“Alright, Buck, 1…2…,” you snap the picture just as Steve pushes Bucky to the side. He flails off the rock, landing in a deeper pool of water.

“ _DAMMIT STEVE_ ,” he growls as he sits up in the water. He’s completely soaked, backpack and all. “Were  _you_  in on this?” He points an accusatory finger in your direction.

“ _Me?_ ” You dramatically clutch your chest with your free hand, blinking at him with baby doll eyes. “Now why would I  _ever_  be in on such a thing?”

Bucky glares at you, seemingly not amused by your sarcastic tone.

“That’s it,” he pulls himself up, water trickling down his face from his hair and dripping off his thoroughly wet clothing. “Come _heeeere_ , Stevie,” he holds out his arms, pouting. “Come give your old pal a  _hug_.”

“No thanks,” Steve laughs, taking a few steps back. Bucky makes up for the distance by moving forward.

“Oh,  _come on_ ,” Bucky’s goofy smile lights up his face. “You don’t want to break my heart,  _do you?_ ” He starts sprinting towards Steve, arms still outstretched. Steve takes off, doing his best to escape from Bucky’s grab.

The sight unfolding before you truly is one for the record books.  _This is fucking golden._

You dig your phone back out of your pocket, ready to take capture this moment forever when you look up from your screen to see Steve diving behind you, grabbing both of your arms, and using you as a human shield. Bucky stops a few feet away and grins.

“ _STEVE NO_ ,” you try to wriggle out of his hold, but his grip on you is insanely strong and sturdy.

“Sorry, Y/N, but I’m gonna need you to take one for the _tEAM, SHIT,_ ” his voice cracks as he giggles like a child, pushing you forward as Bucky takes another step closer.

“ _AWW_ , C’mere, doll!” Bucky squeals like a child getting a puppy on Christmas. The water from his still-soaked clothing seeps into yours.

“ _BUCKY, LET ME GO_ ,” you protest, muffled by his chest. You can smell Bucky’s body wash and cologne through the earthly smell of the water.

“ _Fiiine_ ,” he huffs, releasing you from his strong bear-like hug. The whole front of you shirt is soaked, sticking to your skin. Some of your loose hair sticks to the side of your face, making flat, wiggly patterns. Bucky does his best to stifle his laugh, but breaks into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

“I’m actually going to kill  _both_  of you,” you groan, arms hanging away from your body.

“Ya know, you always say that, but never actually do anything,” Bucky puts his hands on his hips, taking a strong stance, recovering from his fit.

“Don’t test me, Barnes.”

* * *

You spent the rest of the hike fanning your shirt with your hat, hoping the cold water would evaporate quickly. By the time you got back to the cabin, you were completely dry, but the urge to go swimming burned in your mind.

“Let’s go swimming,” you blurt out. Steve looks over at you from the driver’s seat as he shifts the car into park. You two mutually agreed to force Bucky to sit in the back seats because he was still wet even after you finished the hike.

“I’d love to go swimming,” Steve agrees. He looks at Bucky in the rearview mirror.

“I’m already soaked, so, why not,” Bucky shrugs. After changing into the same suit from the day before, you meet Steve and Bucky down at the dock. You carried down three towels, a bluetooth speaker that could float, a pack of cold beer fresh from the fridge, and some sandwiches. Steve was already sitting in one of the back seats, the edge of the boat tipping towards the water at a sharp angle. Bucky smiles, his eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses.

“There she is,” he tosses the rope into the boat, holding it to the dock with his right hand. He motions with his metal hand from you to the boat.

“Thanks,” you mumble as you carefully stagger onto the boat, handing off the food and beers to Steve, trying not to drop the towels and the speaker into the water. Bucky lowers himself in after you, the boat balancing out between your weights. You and Bucky work together to paddle out towards the middle of the lake. Once the anchor was thrown down, you stand up, taking in the beautiful views of the sun hanging lower in the sky and the swaying trees around you.

“ _Wow_ ,” Steve gasps behind you. A thought suddenly pops into your head. You look up at Bucky and see that he’s wearing a shit-eating grin, already thinking the same thing. After a quick nod, you both turn around and climb over the seats behind you. Steve was standing at the edge of the boat, gazing out over the lake. “This is beaut-  _SHIT!_ ” His voice cracks through the silence as your hands push against his warm skin, Bucky’s right next to yours, sending Steve flying into the dark water. He quickly bobs back up, his blonde hair sticking to the sides of his head and face.

“So  _that’s_  how it’s gonna be?”

You can Bucky simultaneously accuse each other. You turn and face him.

“Bucky, don’t you  _dare_ ,” you shake your head, taking a big step back.

“Don’t dare to do what?” A large smirk creeps up one side of his face.

“Stop messin’ with me,” you can’t help but giggle. Just as Bucky creeps closer, Steve pops up, grabbing his legs and tossing him over his shoulder, landing in the water on his back. When Bucky comes back up, he launches at Steve, pushing him under the water. While the boys were wrestling in the water, you turn back to the front of the boat, grabbing the speaker and turning on one of your playlists.  _Glorious_  by Macklemore began blaring through the speaker, the music bursting into the quiet air over the sounds of Bucky and Steve trying to drown each other.

You sat on the edge of the boat, feet in the cool water, laughing to yourself as Bucky slips through Steve’s chokehold.

“Don’t think you can escape this so easily,” Bucky swims over to you, but is yanked back by Steve grabbing his leg. He chokes on some water, and twists his body in the water, glaring through Steve. “ _Dammit, Steve._ ”

Steve somehow dodges Bucky’s grab and swims around him to ladder on the boat. The boat tips and sways under his weight, sending little waves into the water.

“Why don’t you join us?” Steve asks you, using his hand to push back his wet hair from his face.

“Because you too are being -  _STEVE, PUT ME DOWN_ ,” you squeal as Steve lifts you from the edge of the boat, carrying you bridal style in his arms.

“What do you say, Buck? Don’t you think she should join us?”

“I sure think so,” Bucky laughs. “This was her idea in the first place.”

The last thing you heard before you hit the water was your squeals of displeasure mixed with the chorus of the song.

* * *

About two hours later, the sun had begun to set. Steve and Bucky blew through three sandwiches each, and you and Bucky were on the last two beers. Steve had fallen asleep on the back of boat some time ago, his snoring carrying out over the now-calm waters, masked by the music softly pumping from the speaker. Light oranges and pinks had started to hungrily consume the pale blue sky as the sun sunk further towards the horizon behind the trees.

“This trip has been fantastic,” Bucky comments quietly. You’re both sitting on the edge of the front part of the boat, feet dangling in the water below you.

“Has it been worth all of your groaning and whining about the ride up here?” You tease him.

“Totally,” he chuckles, looking off towards the trees lining the lake. “How are you feeling?”

“What do you mean?” You slightly turn your head towards him, giving him a questioning glance.

“After last night,” he continues softly. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“O-Oh, yeah, that…It was just a nightmare, Buck. Don’t worry about it.”

“Do you have them a lot?” He takes a drink of his beer.

“Not as much as I used to,” you copy him.

“Sometimes when I can’t sleep at the compound, I head to the gym. You’re there every time,” he adds.

“Yeah, I, uh, just blow off steam after I have ‘em. Helps with the anxiety, calms me down.” You bring up a foot, splashing a little bit of water into the air.

“I get it,” Bucky nods. “What was your nightmare about? If you, uh, don’t mind me asking.”

“I don’t mind,” you sigh. You’ve never confided in anyone like this before, but something about being around Bucky makes you feel safe, like you can trust him with anything, even your biggest secrets. “I was running through these woods in the winter time. Someone was chasing after me, and I tripped. Then a heavy boot stepped on my chest, but the person was wearing a mask, pointing a gun directly at my forehead. When they took off the mask, it…it was  _me_. The other me asked if I could ‘handle what I dish out’, then everything went black after a shot rang out.”

You release a shaky breath as you sit in silence for a few long seconds.

“What does that mean?” Bucky’s voice is tender and hesitant as if he doesn’t want to pry too deep, but also can’t contain his curiosity. “The whole ‘can’t handle what you dish out’ part?”

“Um, I, uh…,” you stop yourself before you could spill any other information. A deep pit of resentment and loathing begins to grow in your stomach.

“You don’t have to talk about it anymore, doll. We can talk about it when you’re ready to,” Bucky brushes the side of his hand against yours. The boat begins to sway as Steve rolls over in his sleep. You think nothing of it until you hear something large drop into the water. You bolt to your feet, straddling the small divider between the sets of seats, and watch as Steve’s head bobs above the surface of the water, choking on lake water.

“What the hell just happened,” he groggily asks, dribbles of water running into his eyes from his hair.

“Let’s get you back to the cabin,” Bucky chuckles. “ _C’mon_.” He groans as he hauls Steve up from the ladder. He hands Steve his towel and climbs back over the divider, pulling up the anchor. Instead of sitting, Steve spreads his body over the back seats, his feet hanging over the edge of the boat, resting inches above the water. You’re surely convinced this man can sleep anywhere and at any time if he’s tired enough, because as soon as his head hits his makeshift pillow of towels, he’s out again. As you settle back into your seat, Bucky touches your shoulder.

“I want to tell you something later, once we get Steve in bed.”


	4. On, Wisconsin! (Pt. 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a few days into your vacation Up North with the boys, but the growing need to tell Bucky about your past bursts at the seams, and his reaction wasn’t at all what you had expected it to be. (Warnings: Some Angst, Mostly Fluff, Language)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my Tumblr blog (@beefybuffybucky)!

After the sun had dropped far below the horizon, crystal-clear stars invaded the empty, dark sky. Their shimmering forms are reflected in the dark, cold water of the lake. You sit on the edge of the dock, your legs swaying gently, toes skimming over the silent surface of the still water, creating gentle ripples that alter the starry painting that has locked you in a captivating trance. The large, full moon illuminates your surroundings, serving as the main light source in the never-ending darkness of the forest. Frogs and crickets create a delightful melody that swings through the air, further securing you in a powerful stupor.

A soft rumbling of footsteps on the dock hauls you out from your thoughts. You look over your shoulder and see Bucky carrying two mugs in his hands with a large afghan blanket draped over his shoulder. He’s wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants, which seems a lot more practical than your pajama shorts and t-shirt. He greets you with a small, caring smile as he sets one of the mugs next to you and the other one a few feet away. His hair is pulled back into a low bun, a few strands of hair had escaped and frame his face. You take the mug in your hands, warmth blossoming into your palms as the smell of chocolate dances at your nose. Bucky drapes the blanket over your shoulders, and you hum in thanks, appreciating the layer of protection from the chilly summer night air. He takes a seat next to you, his left thigh pressing against yours as he crossed his legs.

You take a sip of the hot chocolate, the steaming liquid slightly burning your tongue. The hair on the back of your neck begins to prick as the feeling of a gaze lingering on you sends a shiver down your spine. Looking up, you make brief contact with Bucky’s gaze, then look away, clearing your throat.

“I was a HYDRA agent,” you blurt out, breaking the arduous, drawn-out silence between you and Bucky. “An, uh…an  _assassin_ , to be more specific.”

You look over at Bucky. His eyes shine in the moonlight as his face is set in a heavy, understanding expression. When he didn’t say anything, you decided to continue, looking back out over the mesmerizing view. Something about the night and the complex, comforting feeling you felt radiating from Bucky just seemed to cut open the box of secrets you had hiding in your mind.

“I knew you before joining the team,” you whisper. “I…I never actually  _interacted_  with you, but I saw you a few times, training other agents, or walking around the facility being trailed other HYDRA members. They trained me to be the best agent they could use when you weren’t ‘ _in commission_ ’. When they couldn’t risk possibly putting your life on the line, they sent me to do the job. I would do anything I had to just to complete a mission.” Your voice started to take on a shaky edge. “I’ve destroyed so many  _lives_ …so many  _families_ , I just…”

Your breath hitches in your throat as tears prick at the corner of your eyes.

“I was never afraid of you,” you push yourself to continue. This time, your voice was barely audible above the sounds of the night. Slowly, you lift your legs and turn your body to face Bucky. You cross them under the afghan, resettling into a more comfortable position. “I knew the soldier I saw wasn’t  _you_ , and when I met you for the first time - the  _real_  you - I…I was just blown away. You’re so kind a-and funny, and just, such a wonderful person…” You sniffle as a trickle of a tear slides down your cheek. Bucky was still looking down at the water, soaking in every word that tumbled from your mouth. The hot chocolate was reaching dangerously close to the rim of the mug as your hands shook in your lap. You set the mug down to your left, opting cross your arms and pull the sides of the blanket closer to your body.

“I…I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you earlier, I just -”

Bucky pulls you into his arms, enveloping your shuddering frame in a comforting, strong embrace. As the shock of his sudden action subsides, you unwrap your arms from your body, sliding them under Bucky’s arm and around his back.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Bucky mutters next to your ear as he hugs you tighter. He rubs large, relaxed circles over your back. You stay like that for a few minutes, focusing on relaxing your breathing. Bucky smells like the forest, very earthy and calming, but has a tint of his body wash - he smells like  _home_.

You pull back, and he brings a warm hand to your cheek, wiping away the remnants of your tears with his thumb. His palm is rough, but at the same time, comforting. He drops his hand back into his lap.

“I know that must have been hard, but…thank you for telling me,” he whispers, mouth curving into a delicate, full-hearted smile. His eyes sparkled with something deep brewing beneath his calm exterior, sending a wave of calming warmth washing through you. The moonlight spreads across half his face, casting the other half in shadows.  _He looks beautiful._

“Thank you for listening,” you softly smile back. A shiver snakes through your skin as a cool breeze slips through the holes between the crocheted yarn of the blanket. Bucky reaches to his waist and grabs the bottom of his hoodie, pulling it up and over his body, then hands it to you. You happily take it, letting the blanket fall around you, and slide the hoodie over your head. The residue of heat from his body that lingers in the fabric spreads down your arms and across your chest as you hand him the blanket. He takes it and lays it down on the dock behind him, then motions for you to lay down.

You both lay on your backs, looking up at the endless sky. You let your arm slide over the edge of the dock, lightly grazing the surface of the lake with your fingertips.

“I still have nightmares, too,” Bucky’s voice gently cracks into the silence. “They used to be really bad, but they’ve gotten better since Steve brought me in. It took me forever to warm-up to the team. I just felt like such a burden, like I didn’t belong, or even deserved to be an Avenger. I still kind of feel like that sometimes - just another basket case.” He shifts, propping himself up on one elbow, slightly hovering over you. “But when you showed up, I never felt like that. There was just something about you that felt… _familiar_. I felt like I didn’t have to hide anything from you - I didn’t have to be afraid. The more time I spent with you, the fewer nightmares I had.”

Your heart fluttered in your chest as you listened and took-in every word he spoke. You brought your free hand to his chest, feeling the dull drumming of his heartbeat through his shirt. He looks at you for a long, relaxed moment, then leans closer to your face, his lips hovering only a few inches from yours. You could feel his soft breath fan across your cheek as you move your hand from his chest to the side of his face, sliding your fingers through the loose locks of hair that had fallen from the bun.

“Do you trust me?” He mutters. A warm flame of desire flicked to life in your stomach.

“ _Yes_ ,” you breathe. Bucky leans in more, about to close the small amount of distance between you two when a loud, bone-rattling scream pierces the air. You and Bucky jump up from the dock, standing back-to-back as you try to determine where the scream had come from.

“ _WHAT THE HELL IS THAT,_ ” Steve’s voice cuts through the night. Bucky takes off up the stairs, taking three at a time. You trail close behind, taking only two at a time. You stumble through the door to the sunroom then skip the stairs, searching for Steve. Bucky turns into the kitchen as you head to the living room.

“Steve…why are you on the island,” Bucky states flatly more than asks. You blink and turn around, jogging across the room to the kitchen doorway.

Steve was on top of the island in the middle of the small kitchen, squatting and holding a plastic spatula.

“ _Look_ ,” he hisses, pointing the spatula towards the glass door that leads to a small mudroom. You look at Bucky. He raises an eyebrow and shoots a quick side glance towards you. You sigh and slowly walk around the island. The door was open and the trash can was tipped over, its contents splayed across the floor leading into the kitchen.

“Steve, I don’t see any-  _OH SHIT_ ,” you squeal, leaping back into the fridge behind you as a huge, scraggly possum waddles out of the trashcan. You instantly jump up onto the counter, shoving Steve over.

“What are you two -  _what the SHIT is that_ ,” Bucky quickly dips out of the room, peering around the doorway. “How did that get inside?!”

“ _It’s a possum!_ ” You crouch and jump off the island, landing in the doorway. You dip behind Buck, putting your hands on his back and standing on your toes to peer over his shoulder. “ _Steve_ , scare it away!”

“ _WHAT?! WHY ME!_ ”

The possum peeks its head around the corner of the island, its beady eyes and sharp nose poking around the room.

“Good luck!” You pull the sliding door shut, trapping Steve in the kitchen and cutting off the only source of light simultaneously. Even in the dark, you could feel Bucky’s lingering presence. The sound of a few pans clattering together and a slur of curse words are muffled by the door. You drown out the noise as Bucky brings his metal hand to your face, gently caressing your cheek.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” you can hear his smile in his voice. His soft breath tickles your nose as he leans in, hesitating for a brief moment. “Are you sure you want this?”

“I’ve wanted this longer than you think,” you whisper back as adrenaline begins to pulse in your veins. You push up on your toes, locking your lips with Bucky. His lips are soft and rough at the same time, making you crave more. He deepens the kiss, and before you could react, you hear the kitchen door slide open at lightning speed. Light pours over you two, and you quickly break away, turning your heads at the same time to find Steve standing in the doorway - still holding a plastic spatula and now a bag with something heavy inside dragging it down - with his mouth hanging open. You drop your hands from Bucky’s chest and tug on the bottom of the hoodie - his hoodie - as you clear your throat, biting your bottom lip. Steve still stared at you, saying nothing at first.

“I’m telling Nat!” He pushes between you two, jogging into the sunroom.

“No!  _Steve!_ ” You bolt after him, jumping over the stairs, but you were too late.

“Sent,” he smiles. If he had been in any other room, he wouldn’t have been able to send anything, but the sunroom was the only room with any sort of reception. Great.

“I  _knew_  it! I knew this would happen.” His smile grew into a shit-eating, triumphant grin. Sure enough, a few moments later, your phone buzzed in the back pocket of your pajama shorts.

“ _I can’t believe you!! Why didn’t you tell me about Barnes?!? Call me, NOW!_ ” Natasha’s text read.

You groan and sigh at the same time, flopping down onto the futon beside Steve.

“Steve…Do you have  _any_  idea of what you just did?”

“Yeah I do,” he boasts. “ _I_  just won a fifty dollar bet.”

“You  _what_ ,” you and Bucky both question simultaneously. You sit up, leaning off the edge of the futon.

“What are you talking about?” You stand up and face Steve. “What  _bet_?”

“The rest of the team and I had a bet going on how long it would take for  _you two_ ,” he looks between you and Bucky, “to finally get together. And  _I_  just won.”

You blink at him, then turn to Bucky, who was now doing his best to stifle both a grin and his chuckling, failing miserably at both.

“I just…I can’t believe…Why  _me_ ,” you pinch the bridge of your nose, shutting your eyes tight. “I’m going to kill you,” you groan at Steve.

“You think you can actually take me on?”

“You’re such a  _punk_ ,” you lightly punch his arm. “I’m going to bed…Today has been enough for me.” You walk up to the main room, brushing past Bucky as you head towards your shared bed. You take one last look at your phone, finding about ten new text messages from other members of the team in a group chat, and decide to turn it off for the night. After putting it down on the side table next to you, you climb into bed, drowning in your racing thoughts inside your mind and the heavy blankets covering your body. Before you drift off to sleep, you feel the bed dip under Bucky’s weight. You could feel his hand gently brush some hair out of your face, and you look up at him through hazy eyes.

“You’re so beautiful, doll,” he smiles.

“Are you sure you’re not just saying that because of the whole ‘bet’ thing?”

He lifts your chin lightly, then ghosts his lips over yours.

“I’m positive, darlin’.”


	5. On, Wisconsin! (Pt. 5 - FINALE)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the last day of your trip with the boys, and because of the rain, you’re confined to the cabin as rainy day shenanigans pursue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my Tumblr blog (@beefybuffybucky)!

Your eyelids are heavy as you’re dragged out of your deep slumber. Bucky’s light heartbeat gently drums beneath your fingertips. You blink through your groggy haze and raise your head. Bucky was still sleeping, but you were tucked against his side, one leg over his, as a soft snoring rose and fell from his mouth. A sleepy smile draws at the corners of your mouth as you snuggle back down, melting into the warmth of his body. He begins to stir from his sleep, bringing his arm from around you along with his other one above his head, stretching out his body and sighing a content breath. His arm wraps back around your shoulder, pulling you closer to him. You can feel his muscles rippling underneath his thin shirt.

“G’mornin’, doll,” he groggily mumbles, playing with a strand of your hair.

“Mornin’, Buck,” you drag your head up, pressing a light, feathery kiss on the side of his jaw. His eyes are still closed, but he smiles as a low, faint mix of a chuckle and a hum rumbles deep in his chest.

“Do we  _have_  to get up? Because I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty damn comfortable.”

“Yes, Buck, we do,” you laugh light-heartedly. You drag you body up, pushing against his chest to get into a comfortable sitting position. Lifting your arms above your head, you feel the muscles in your back and shoulders stretch, gradually washing away the remnants of sleep from your body. “C’mon, bud.” You pat his stomach then scoot to the edge of the bed, sliding off to stand on the cool floor. “I’ll get the coffee goin’.”

“M’kay, doll. I’ll just stay here,” Bucky mutters as he pulls the blankets back up to his chin, burying the side of his face in a pillow.

“Well, if you’re just gonna stay in bed all day, then I’ll just have to take  _Steve_  to today’s activity, and not  _you_.” You saunter into the kitchen and hear the bed shift. Bucky appears by your side a few seconds later.

“What are we doin’ today?” He wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

“You’re just gonna have to wait and find out,” you smirk at him. He huffs and presses a playful kiss to the top of your head.

“Always keepin’ me on my toes,” he laughs.

“What are you two up to now?” Steve walks into the kitchen, rubbing away the sleep from his eyes. “Did I just walk in on something I probably shouldn’t have?” There’s a sarcastic edge to his voice.

“Just tryin’ to get Y/N to tell me what she has planned for us,” Bucky turns to Steve, dropping his arm from your waist. He leans back against the counter. “But she won’t seem to budge.”

“Well, I sure hope that whatever you do have planned, it’s not going to be outside,” Steve yawns. “It’s supposed to be storming all day.”

“Please tell me you’re kidding,” you groan as you set down the container of coffee. “Well, there goes my plan.”

“Can you tell us what it is  _now_?” Bucky pries. You sigh.

“I  _was_  going to take you guys go-karting at this really fun track, but they won’t be open if it’s raining.” Your shoulders slouch as you dump another scoop of coffee into the coffee maker. “Guess we’ll just have to think of something to do inside.”

“There’s a ton of board games,” Steve suggests. “Plus, we leave tomorrow and we still have a lot of food. We could…make a bunch of it and play games. It’ll just be a relaxing type of day.”

“You know, that doesn’t sound half-bad, Stevie,” Bucky nods. He looks at you. “What do ya think, doll?”

“It’s actually really not a bad idea. It does sound kinda fun,” you shrug. You look at the clock above the stove. It’s 9 a.m. “Why don’t you two find some games we could play, and I start looking for recipes to make.”

“I hope we have  _Uno_ ,” Steve smiles as he walks out of the room. “I kick  _ass_  at  _Uno_!”

* * *

Steve was right. You’ve played four rounds of  _Uno_  so far, and he’s one every single one. You were convinced he had to have some secret stash of cards, but a quick pat down ruled you wrong - guess the man is just an  _Uno_  God.

Halfway through the fifth round, the buzzer on the oven went off. You put your cards face-down on the floor and jump up to take the brownies out of the oven. While the boys were finding games, you had whipped up as many pancakes you possibly could with a full box of mix, brownies, an apple pie, and some cinnamon rolls. There were still a few bags of chips, a lot of fruit, and some granola bars, but you had no doubt that the boys wouldn’t be able to consume all of it, if not over the course of the rest of the day, then by tomorrow morning. You had saved some burger patties and other things for dinner and had already packed up enough snacks for the long car ride back to the airport, so basically anything was fair game. Once you had pulled out the brownies, you carried back out the plate of piled pancakes in one hand and syrup and a new cup of coffee in the other.

Steve and Bucky were distracted from the game by trying to throw pieces of trail mix into each other’s mouths.

“I have pancakes,” you smile, setting them down on the table next to you.

“Oh,  _hell_  yes,” Bucky snaps his attention towards you. A peanut hits him in the eye and he winces. “ _Dammit_ , Steve, what the hell? Even if I was looking at you, that still wouldn’t have been a good toss!”

* * *

About fifteen pancakes, half a tray of brownies, and nearly all the pie later, you and the boys had moved into the living room to watch some movies. Baking always took a lot out of you for some reason, and the idea of sleep began to dance around your conscience. Rain pattering on the roof created a sense of sleepy calm in you.  _Inglourious Basterds_  had just started, and you could already feel the weight of sleep pull down your eyelids. You were laying on one of the couches using Bucky’s thick thigh as a pillow, his hand entangled in your hair, rubbing soothing patterns into your scalp. Your body kept involuntarily jolting to try and keep you awake, but the last thing you remember is Christoph Waltz yelling out a phrase in French before the first scene transitioned into the next, then, all at once, everything disappeared.

* * *

A loud clap of thunder shook your body awake. You bolt straight up, the taste of sleep heavy in your mouth as you wipe away some drool from your lip.

“Hey there, darlin’,” Bucky smiles at you.

“Hey,” you groggily mumble. A few strands of hair were stuck to your face, and you pull them away, tucking them behind your ear. “What time is it?” You yawn, stretching your arms above your head and leaning back into the couch.

“A little after five,” Bucky looks at his phone. “Steve’s still out,” he nods to the couch across from you. Steve was half-on-half-off the couch, snoring loudly. His blanket had fallen off his body and sat in a crumpled pile on the ground next to him.

“How long was I out?” You blink away the remaining sleepy haze.

“Just a few hours,” Bucky wraps an arm around your shoulder, pulling you against him. “Are you hungry?” His breath tickles the outside of your ear.

“Kinda,” you sigh. The rain was pounding down on the roof. A flash of lightning lit up the sky above the lake outside the window and another clap of thunder followed. “Are  _you_  hungry?”

“I’m always hungry,” he laughs. “Let’s go get some food.”

* * *

Bucky managed to eat a full pizza and nearly half a bag of chips by himself, while you stuck to just a few slices and a more reasonable amount of chips. You were sitting in the sunroom on the futon, facing the windows. The rain streams off the roof in small waterfalls, and veiny bolts of light would once-in-a-while light up the cloudy, dark sky. The main source of light came from a small, old lamp on the side table next to you.

“You know,” you mutter, mindlessly playing with Bucky’s fingers. “I wonder how long they had that bet goin’ on.”

“Probably longer than we think,” he chuckles. “I’m sure Wanda had something to do with it. Maybe she sensed something in our minds.”

“Wouldn’t doubt it,” you laugh, looking up at him. He turns his head down to look back at you. His grey-blue eyes shine with something light and loving, making you smile. He presses a long kiss to your forehead. When he pulls away, you sneak a quick, smiley kiss to his lips.

“Alright kids, calm down, spare my poor, old heart,” Steve yawns as he walks down the steps, sitting on the edge of the futon. “Tony somehow managed to call. We have to head back earlier than we thought, something about another mission.”

“When do we have to leave?” You sigh.

“As soon as we can,” Steve’s lip turns slightly downward. “I’m sorry, Y/N, I know you would’ve wanted to stay, but -”

“No, hey, it’s okay,” you smile. “This has probably been the best trip I’ve ever had.” You beam at Steve, lightly squeezing Bucky’s hand that was hanging off your shoulder. “It’s okay that we have to leave early, really. I haven’t had this much fun in a  _long_  time.”

Steve smiles back at you, then pushes up off the futon.

“Guess we should probably get packing,” he walks around the futon, grabbing his bag and throwing it onto the edge.

“Yeah, I guess so,” you sigh again, lighter this time. You scoot of the futon, then head up the stairs to start packing. Bucky comes up behind you, sliding his arms under yours and then wrapping them around your chest. He gently tugs you back, pushing your back flush against his chest.

“Thank you,” he mutters into your hair before pressing another kiss to the top of your head. “For everything.”

“You’re so welcome,” you hum in response.

“I wasn’t so sure about the whole ‘roughin’ it in northern Wisconsin thing’, but this was so amazing.”

You turn around in his arms, pressing your hands against his chest and laughing.

“‘Roughin’ it?’ I’d hardly call this,” you nod your head to the side, “‘roughin’ it’. If you think this is rough, just wait until I take you two camping. Maybe I’ll even invite Sam,” you smirk.

“No thanks,” he rolls his eyes, throwing his head back. “If Sam’s goin’, count me out. I wouldn’t be able to trust sleeping in a tent with that guy.”

“Okay,” you shrug, sliding out of his hold. “Then don’t go. I’ll just take Steve and Sam.”

“Why do you do this to me,” Bucky chuckles as he walks around the bed, grabbing his own bag.

“Oh, hey, I forgot,” you say as the memory sparks in your mind. “I got something for you and Steve when we stopped at one of the gas stations on the way up here.”

You toss him a crumpled up red shirt. He unfolds it, blinks a few times, then starts to laugh.

“ _This_ ,” he turns it around. In bright white writing, the shirt reads “ _Drink Wisconsinbly_ ” in cursive writing over a faded image of Bucky the Badger’s head, “is truly amazing.”

“You like it?” You grin. He

“It’s perfect,” he chuckles again, folding the shirt and tucking it into his duffel bag. “I might just be a Badger’s fan now.”

“On Wisconsin!” You wink at him, shoving the rest of your clothing into the duffel.

 _Now, this,_  you think, looking around you, your gaze lingering on Bucky,  _is a vacation I’ll never forget._


End file.
